It has been a short but mutually beneficial relationship between English import Harry Finch and on-the-rise cricket club Yarraville.
Finch will play his final game for the Eagles this weekend to return for county cricket duty with Sussex, leaving the club in a better position than he found it.
The Eagles are on the verge of breaking into the north-west group finals this season and Finch’s influence can’t be understated.
He thrashed out 365 runs at 52.1 leading into his final match to go with a tidy 11 wickets at 20 on the comeback trail from injury.
The 20-year-old , who celebrated his birthday yesterday, made back-to-back tons for the first time in his career in rounds five and six and snared six wickets against top side Melton last month.
His impressive numbers come from limited appearances after his arrival in Australia was delayed by a troublesome ankle, causing him to miss the first two matches.
Finch has loved his time with the Eagles, but has bigger fish to fry as he tries to elevate into Sussex’s top side, one that is flush with international-calibre players, such as Chris Jordan, Matt Prior, Luke Wright, Ed Joyce and Ajmal Shahzad. Finch leaves the Eagles at the pointy end of the season.
“I’ll definitely be following the scores, tweeting and, if we win it, I’ll have a beer back home. We’ve got a very good squad,” Finch said.
Finch’s influence at Yarraville Oval is not only measured in runs and wickets. There are big expectations on an import to set the example at training and be a role model for younger players. It’s easy to forget that Finch started the summer as a teenager, but he was exemplary, motivated both on a personal and club level.
A bit over a year ago, he had his first pre-season tour with Sussex to Dubai, where he learnt from teammates who had already played cricket at the highest level.
It was a tour where Finch felt he belonged at the top, scoring 62 not out in a Twenty20 game where he faced spin superstar Muttiah Muralitharan.
Finch wants to follow in the footsteps of his Sussex teammates to become a permanent fixture in a first-class side and push for higher honours down the track.
Such is his dedication, he largely avoided the Melbourne night life, though enjoyed what it had to offer in the daylight hours.
“It’s a great place, there’s stuff going on all the time. But at the end of the day, it’s my job, it’s not like I’m coming out here to party.
“I’ve got to try and get myself fit before I go back, so I can’t enjoy myself too much during the week.”
That’s why he saw this pre-season in Australia as critical to his summer back in England. He missed the back end of his last English campaign after going under the knife for an ankle operation.
Since the operation, he’s had a clean bill of health, but Finch isn’t getting complacent.
“Touch wood,” he was quick to respond when asked about his injury-free season with the Eagles. “I got injured twice last English season. I came out and bowled and got injured again and, before you know it, it’s the end of the season.
“It’s nice to be putting in performances with both bat and ball.”
Australian club cricket was an eye-opening experience for Finch, who will certainly leave with a thicker skin than he had before he arrived.
“I’ve never played in a more competitive club standard,” he said.
Finch said the highlight of his stay was a stirring win over Brunswick in December.
